The Flying Eagles Men’s Wrestling Team took the mat in front of a hometown crowd in the King Center on Sunday January 15th against regional foe – Patrick & Henry CC and nearby NAIA neighbors – Bluefield College. It was a dominant day for the Flying Eagles, as they earned their first ever actual dual victory against Bluefield by a score of 15-6, they also went 7-0 on the day and were the only team to leave the King Center unscathed. They dropped their regional match with PHCC due to forfeits, 30-18.
The first match of the day was SWCC and PHCC. After forfeit victories by PHCC at 125 and 133, both teams forfeited 141 and 149. Adnan Moaz earned his first victory of the day with a forfeit at 157, PHCC took a forfeit at 165.
Billy-Jack Cupp and PHCC’s Christopher Doan were the first two wrestlers to square off in an actual match, and Cupp made quick work of his regional foe. Utilizing a quick and efficient takedown, Billy-Jack went to work on top and secured the first period fall with a 3/4 nelson.
After PHCC earned a forfeit victory at 184, Austin Suess looked to extend his team leading wins from 13-14. Austin looked like he has looked much of the year when he doesn’t have a lingering injury or bad weight cut, utterly dominant. While he did get a tad bit over zealous and lost his hips at one point in the match, those 2 points were the only points that PHCC’s Tony Ray would score. Austin used his patented leg-riding and top position expertise to turn Ray a multitude of times before he secured the fall about a minute into the second period. Austin would’ve won by technical superiority (21-2) had Ray found a way to get off of his back.
After a forfeit victory for PHCC at 285, the match ended with the score 30-18 in favor of the Patriots.
After PHCC and Bluefield wrestled their match, it was again time for SWCC to take the mat.
Bluefield has been hit with the injury bug bad this year, and they only had two starting wrestlers with them at 174 and 285. After double forfeits 125-149, Adnan earned an additional forfeit victory at 157, 165 was a double forfeit, and then Billy-Jack Cupp and Bluefield’s Zach Silver squared off at 174. After a back and forth match with both wrestlers getting a takedown, it was Billy-Jack had more to his favor and a dominant showing from to top position that saw him cruise to a 8-5 victory over Silver.
184 double forfeit, 197 Austin Suess wins by forfeit, 285 Jaxon Bast of Bluefield wins by forfeit.
Final score: SWCC – 15 / Bluefield College – 6.
Additional notes: Adnan wanting to get some mat time in any way that he could, wrestled PHCC 174 pound Christopher Doan in an exhibition match. Moaz looked the best he has all year, wrestling an opponent that had nearly 25 pounds on him. Moaz ran the score up until he secured the fall halfway through the second period.
The Flying Eagles get right back to work when they travel to Bluefield College this Saturday for a tri-match with Montreat College.